TLC (Tender Loving Care)
by melicitysmoak
Summary: Felicity's dream was put on hold when real-life tragedy struck, and now she's a nursing aide at Starling General, where billionaire heir Oliver Queen is confined due to a motorcycle accident a few days before Christmas. She has a handsome hunk for a patient. She's the first pretty girl who seems immune to his charm. Love finds a way in the most awkward of situations.
1. Chapter 1

**TLC: Chapter 1**

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 **Disclaimer: I do not own Arrow or its characters. They belong to DC, the CW, and Warner Bros.**

 **A/N: This is what I get for spending most days in the last four weeks in the hospital because my father has not been well. I have been thinking of this fic plot for days now, so I thought maybe it's time I penned my ideas down. It's still a long wait until 6x10 airs. I hope you enjoy this one!**

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Felicity's heart sank as she stepped out of the staff room early that Monday morning just a few days before Christmas. She and her fellow nursing assistants had just been dismissed from the weekly briefing, and she did not like one word of anything that their supervisor had said.

First, everyone was supposed to participate in the "Kris Kringle" among the hospital and medical staff in their respective departments. Even patients who weren't expecting to be discharged from the hospital in time for Christmas were to be included so that they won't feel left out and so that they could "spread the holiday cheer" even to those who wouldn't be spending Christmas at home with their families.

Second, they were all required to wear Christmas-themed scrub suits between now and Christmas Day while they worked their shifts. And just as she was about to reason out that she did not have anything "Christmassy" to wear, her supervisor started handing out two of said holiday scrubs to each one.

When their supervisor asked for two volunteers to work the Christmas Eve shift from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Christmas morning, the Asian girl who was Buddhist happily raised her hand, and then went on to volunteer Felicity, adding, "Smoak can do it! She's Jewish." What was wrong with these people? Sure she didn't really celebrate Christmas the way most people do, but she did observe holiday traditions and would love to enjoy a holiday break from work sometime.

To top it all, Felicity was informed that she was being reassigned to another section of the hospital – the orthopedic wing. The news saddened her, for she loved working at the children's section. The doctors and nurses were nicer. And the patients? They were adorable, even those with very serious illnesses and those that were not expected to live long. But her supervisor had said that the orthopedic section was undermanned at the moment, what with one nursing aide going on leave to take care of her own ailing father, and another one who was pregnant and was recently put on complete bedrest for her entire first trimester. It was a good thing the transfer was only temporary, Felicity thought. She could handle adult patients – that's what she said to her supervisor. Yet deep inside her she knew from OJT experience that it was tougher working 12-hour shifts in the ortho section because most patients were not ambulatory. She guessed that many of them would be adults either twice her age or twice her size.

Felicity sighed as she cleared her locker. She picked up her coat, purse, and box of belongings and sauntered down the corridor two floors down from where she had been reporting for work for close to six months. When she arrived at the nursing aides' staff room, she easily found ner new locker because a piece of paper with her name was taped on its door.

She was almost finished fixing her things when someone suddenly spoke up cheerfully at the doorway, catching her by surprise.

"You must be Felicity!"

She turned around and saw a red-haired, heavy-set, middle-aged woman offering her a handshake.

"Hi! Name's Mindy. Welcome to the orthopedic section! Glad to have you on board. It's been pretty hectic here the lately. I've had to pull 24-hour duties twice already the past week. I'm relieved the higher-ups have finally sent reinforcements. Just a heads-up, we're a full house today. Some billionaire's son just got admitted to the last available room after a motorcycle accident last night."

"Hello, Mindy! Thanks, for the warm welcome and for the heads-up," Felicity responded in kind, matching the woman's enthusiasm with her own. Maybe the temporary transfer wasn't going to be as bad as she thought it would be.

"Well then, let's get to work, sweetie!" said Mindy.

Felicity smiled, taking the clipboard that Mindy handed to her. It had a long list of patients waiting for their assistance. She heaved another sigh before closing her locker and leaving the staff room. It was going to be a long twelve hours.

Felicity wasn't complaining, though. She'd completely embraced her present lot. Truth be told, being a nursing assistant hadn't been part of her life's plan. She had dreamed of being an IT specialist ever since her father had discovered her knack for computers and technology when she was six. She had excelled at it up until her senior year in MIT on a full scholarship. But then her mother had gotten sick. End-stage lung cancer with bone metastasis. It had broken her heart. She had to stop schooling and come home to Vegas to take care of her mother. Because they couldn't afford hospice care or a private nurse. Because her mother had no one else but her (since her father abandoned them when she was seven). Because she wanted to be by her mom's side in her last few months. Because despite their many differences in personality and perspective, she loved her mother very much, and she was grateful that her mom had made sacrifices to raise her to be a decent person while working two jobs just to keep them afloat financially. Her mother had needed her badly then, so she had put her own dreams in the backburner, promising herself that one day she would finish her degree and pursue a career in IT as planned. Except, when her mother passed away, she had absolutely no means to support herself, much less her schooling. The little that she and her mother had saved had gone to hospital and medical bills.

A distant aunt had offered help. Aunt Cybil had recently retired from a 35-year nursing career at the Starling City General Hospital with an impeccable service record and had pulled some strings for Felicity to be accepted into the nursing aide training program under a study-now-pay-later arrangement. Felicity had flown to Starling City and completed two six-month training and certification programs that made her eligible for employment at the hospital. When she had begun working, part of her salary had gone to paying for her loan. Felicity had promised herself that she would only be a nursing aide until she saved enough to allow her to finish her degree in IT, even if she had to take her last semester of courses in Starling City University instead of going back to MIT, which she certainly could no longer afford.

She reminisced as she made her way to the first patient on her list.

Oliver Queen.

Oliver Queen!

For some reason, the name had not registered with her when she first went over the paperwork on her clipboard. But now that she was about to knock on his door, she suddenly became nervous. Billionaire-playboy Oliver Queen was on the other side of the door!

The things she had heard on television news and seen on the tabloids while having quick lunches on the food carts on the streets had told her what most people know and think of the man, one of the most eligible bachelors in the city. The handsome hunk could very well be the wealthiest among the eligible bachelor too, if you didn't count his best friend and partner in crime Tommy Merlyn. A few celebrity gossip writers had started writing about Oliver Queen in a different, more positive light upon his return from a hellish island where he had been stranded for five years after the shipwreck on the South China Sea that had claimed the life of his father, Robert Queen, president and CEO of Queen Consolidated. Unfortunately, more reporters and gossip columnists still clung to his partying, womanizing image pre-island, because they believed that more people preferred reading about the scandals that the rich and famous often got themselves entangled with.

Felicity didn't know what to think. She wasn't one to judge, considering she had had her share of misdemeanors back in college when she fraternized with a group of hacktivists during her Goth phase. She decided to withhold judgment until she personally met the man and did an honest appraisal of his character based on evidence.

"Good morning, Mr. Queen!" she greeted him cheerfully at the door. "I'm Felicity Smoak, and I will be your nursing aide from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. today. I'm happy to assist with any-"

Oliver Queen turned from looking out the window to face her. One good look at his face was enough to render her speechless. "Oh, wow! He's even more gorgeous in person. Even with the boo-boos on his face," she thought.

Or so she thought. Because Oliver's response, which was accompanied by a winsome smile, told her that she had just blurted her thoughts out loud.

"So I've been told."

Felicity gasped, utterly humiliated by her lack of brain-to-mouth coordination. "I'm sorry, Mr. Queen. I didn't mean to-"

"You can call me Oliver. Mr. Queen was my father."

"I know. But he's dead. I mean, he drowned. But you didn't. And you're here, on a hospital bed listening to me babble. Which will end… in 3-2-1…"

"Hey, it's okay," Oliver reassured her. She took a deep breath to steady herself, and then blew out all the air through her mouth. "So, you're Felicity, and you're my nursing assistant for the day?" It was a simple question for clarification, but she sensed that there was more to his mischievous grin than that.

"Yes, I am. Felicity. Smoak. Nursing assistant. But not for the entire day. Just for the next twelve hours. I do have a life, you know," she replied in sentence fragments.

Nervously, she proceeded to write her name on the board right across the patient's bed, as well as the name of his nurse for the day's shift, and other instructions about his diet and patient care. For some reason, she felt that he was watching while she did so. The sooner she could get it done, the better.

"Is there anything I can help you with now, Mr. Queen? Maybe help you with breakfast, brushing your teeth, changing your hospital gown…" Oh my, that one just put some pretty distracting images in her presently cluttered mind.

"Please, just call me Oliver." He smiled at her.

That did not help at all. Because now the butterflies in her stomach were doing somersaults as if they had limbs.

"I'm sorry, but I can't. Protocol. It's either Mr. Queen or Sir. Take your pick."

He simply smiled even wider. Ugh! What was he trying to do, give her a heart attack? It wasn't fair, even if they were in a state-of-the-art medical facility.

"I'm perfectly fine right now," Oliver replied. "But I'll make sure to call on you if I need help with anything."

"Yes, you can do that, Mr. Queen. Just press the call button right there, and I'll come for you. I'm your girl."

A split-second later, Felicity was blushing like cherry after realizing what she had just said. She was going to squeeze her way out of embarrassment, but Oliver beat her to it.

"I sure hope so," he teased, smiling with his dimple on full display.

Felicity wasted no time leaving Oliver Queen's room. She had never had a patient as handsome and charming as he was, and she was going to be taking care of him up close and personal. She seriously doubted whether her transfer to the orthopedic section was a blessing or a curse.

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 **A/N: I first thought of this fic as just a one-shot, but as I started writing, I decided it couldn't be done. I figured three to five chapters would do it, and I can finish before the holiday break is over. But I don't know... We'll see. What do you think?**


	2. Chapter 2

**TLC: Chapter 2**

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 **A/N: Chapter is told from Oliver's POV this time. If everything works out, the chapters will be told in alternating POVs between Felicity and Oliver. Have fun reading!**

 **Summary: Patient Oliver Queen wants to get to know the pretty blonde that was his nursing aide. Who's charmed by who? Also, Felicity meets Moira Queen.**

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There was just something about this girl.

Other than the fact that she was blonde and blue-eyed and looked more like a smart librarian with her high ponytail and dark-rimmed glasses, if not for the scrub suit she wore – she wasn't normally his type.

Felicity. Her name was perfect for her bright, sunshiny personality. She walked into his room, and suddenly everything lit up. He found her funny, in spite of her lack of brain-to-mouth filter that made her think out loud and babble – in an adorable kind of way. She was a natural at making him smile, and she didn't have to put much effort into it.

When was the last time a woman – someone – had made him smile without really trying? He couldn't even remember. Not even his sister succeeded in doing so, since he'd come back from Lian Yu; there were some days Thea didn't even care to try anymore.

But this girl…

All the girls he'd dated and been with before – Laurel Lance included – he'd had most of them wrapped around his fingers just by his signature playboy smile. Most girls he'd flirted with in the past had started calling him Ollie not too long after he'd dropped his famous line: "Please, call me Oliver." Some girls – the really desperate ones – would have already found their way on his lap soon after the preliminary introductions.

Not Felicity. She had insisted that it was protocol for her to call him either Mr. Queen or Sir, and she even made him choose which one he preferred. Sure, he had sensed from the moment she stepped into his room that she did find him attractive, but that was to be expected since he was famous and certifiably gorgeous, according to critics and media polls. (And, as much as he would hate to admit it lest he be accused of egotistic bragging, he still had yet to find an exception among the female species that felt otherwise.) When he had teased her, she hadn't reciprocated; instead, she had hastily excused herself and darted towards the door faster than the express train from Starling City to Central City.

Based on first impressions, Oliver figured that his pretty boy Queen charm was not going to work with this blonde beauty, like it had in the past. But that's okay.

Oliver's former self would have been sorely disappointed, irritated that he was getting a bit rusty at picking up girls. Either that, or he would have accused her of playing hard-to-get, arrogantly thinking that it was her loss. Nevertheless, his present self – the one that was trying so hard to change for the better after a harrowing, life-changing experience that put things in his messed-up life into proper perspective – took it as a challenge to figure out what made Felicity Smoak tick.

Something told him that she was the kind of girl that was worth it for the long haul, and he really wanted to get-to-know her better. See if there was something there that could lead to friendship maybe, maybe something more. He speculated that his notorious reputation with women must have scared her away, and he had no one else but himself to blame for it. But he wasn't going to give up so easily. He survived a hellish island for five years and made it home alive. How could he not manage to befriend a girl, at the very least?

Oliver didn't realize it yet, but apparently, he was the one that had been easily charmed by her.

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"You called, Mr. Queen?" Felicity peeked into his room and asked to confirm whether or not the call that registered his room number at the nurses' station was just another false alarm.

A middle-aged nursing aide named Mindy had responded to his two previous calls, but he did not want Mindy's help. He wanted Felicity. Mindy had just smiled the first time he told her it was a false alarm. The second time, the heavy-set, red-head had glared at him like she was hid mother, catching him doing something wrong and grounding him for a month.

"Yes, please," Oliver answered. "I really help need with breakfast." He lifted slightly his injured right arm that was in a sling.

Felicity looked at the clock, standing akimbo in front of him. "Don't you think it's a little too late for that? It's more like a very late brunch."

"Whatever. I'm hungry now. And you're here. So, help, please?" He made a cute, pouty face.

"Alright," she said, rolling her eyes. She started to push the wheeled patient's table towards his hospital bed. "Let me just get this-"

"Uhm, I was thinking… Maybe you could help me call Big Belly Burger and order in? Hospital food is just a notch higher than the stuff I had to put up with on the island." He grinned like a Cheshire cat.

She frowned like the Queen of Hearts. And once again, her hands were on her hips. "Mr. Queen, I don't think you realize how much effort this hospital's professionals put into each patient's meal. Did you know that every ingredient, from the soup and salad to the main course, and yes, even to the infamous Jell-O for dessert, has been carefully planned by dieticians and nutritionists to make sure that patients like you who are recuperating from a vehicular accident get just the right amount of nutrients and calories to help you do so. Starling Gen employs the top-notch chefs to execute our menus. So, if you want my help, you're going to have to put up with 'stuff that's just a notch higher than your average island diet.'"

Oliver huffed. "I guess, it's hospital food for brunch then," he said in defeat, though he was still smiling.

He would have felt bad that he won't be getting the greasy burger with fries and milkshake, but he didn't. He used to feel frustrated when he couldn't get a woman to do what he wanted. This time though, he was actually impressed by her stubborn dedication to patient care. That, and she did look kind of cute standing akimbo in front of him, her glasses slipping down the bridge of her nose. He thought of saying something to provoke her ire at him, just to see her posture like so again, but he changed his mind. He didn't want her to leave just like she did earlier that morning.

Felicity reminded him so much of Raisa, the Queen family's long-time housekeeper, who had also been his and his sister's primary caregiver since they were toddlers. Felicity was careful with every spoonful that went into his mouth, and whenever he asked for a drink, she insisted that he use the straw because it made it easier for patients to drink. They made it through the main course without spilling anything. Oliver thought that she did a pretty good job of feeding him, especially when it came to motivating him to consume everything on his tray. While he chewed his food, she gave him short commentaries on the nutritional value of the vegetable, fruit, or meat that was in his mouth, and he found them – more like, _her_ – rather fascinating.

They were almost done with dessert when his mother walked into the room. "Mom," Oliver greeted her.

"Good morning, Oliver," Moira Queen greeted back. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"Much better, all things considered."

"That's good. I was so worried when I got the call sometime after midnight. I stayed all throughout the surgery that fixed your leg, but I left as soon as they wheeled you out of recovery to this room. You were still out because of the anesthesia. I didn't want to wake you."

"It's okay, Mom. Does Thea know?" Oliver asked. He was concerned that his younger sister would worry about him.

"I haven't told Thea yet why you didn't come home last night. I'll explain everything when she comes home from school later."

Oliver pursed his lips and nodded.

Moira Queen shifted her gaze to Felicity, who was standing at Oliver's bedside next to the food table. "Who's this?"

"Mom, this is Felicity Smoak. She's a nursing assistant here. I asked her to help me with brunch. Felicity, this is my mother, Moira Dearden Queen."

"Good morning, Mrs. Queen. I'm pleased to meet you," Felicity greeted the well-dressed, confident-looking woman. They couldn't really shake hands. Oliver and the hospital bed were in the way.

"Hello, Felicity. Thank you for helping my son with his meal."

"Oh, it's all part of the job ma'am. I'm very happy to assist. That's what nursing assistants are here for," Felicity replied cheerfully, rocking herself on the balls of her feet.

Oliver and his mother talked some more about what the doctors are saying about his condition, while Felicity put away his meal tray and feeding table. After a few more minutes, she made a beeline for the door in an attempt to leave without being noticed. She didn't want to disturb the conversation between mother and son.

Oliver had been watching her with his peripheral vision, though. And when he caught her sneaking out, he said, "Mom, would you excuse me for a sec?" He looked over his mother's shoulder and called out, "Felicity? Thank you for helping me with brunch! Could you come back in a while to help me brush my teeth?"

"Sure thing, Mr. Queen! Just press the call button," she replied. And then she was gone.

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After Moira Queen left, Oliver called again and was glad that Felicity was the one to come help him with oral hygiene. She prepared his toothbrush, a rinsing tumbler, and a kidney basin for him to spit out water after rinsing. Afterwards, she wiped his mouth with a clean, wet wash cloth and proceeded to clean the rest of his face and neck with it.

"Mmm… That feels so good…" he hummed underneath the cloth that she ran so methodically all over his face.

"Good, huh? Well, it's nothing compared to a sponge bath. I can give amazing sponge baths. You know, during my training, I was consistently rated 'excellent' for doing sponge baths and changing beddings. I ranked in the top five each time," she explained candidly. "Would you like me to give you a sponge bath, Mr. Queen?"

Oliver's breath hitched, and his muscles tensed upon hearing her proposition. Did she just offer to clean him up from head to foot? It took him a while to consider her offer. On the one hand, it was a tempting one. It wouldn't be the first time a woman would run her hands all over him, and that had never bothered him before. He liked Felicity, and she seemed like she was really good at her job.

Also, he did feel a bit sweaty (and smelly) in his hospital gown and his… Wait. It dawned on him that he wasn't really wearing anything underneath his patient's gown. No one had bothered to put underwear on him since he came out of surgery. He quickly grabbed his blanket and pulled it up to his chest, hoping that Felicity didn't notice him panicking.

On second thought, nah. He convinced himself that he wasn't really that sweaty and smelly yet, since he'd taken a shower before leaving the mansion last night (and then crashing into a parked truck when his motorcycle skidded on an oil slick).

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm good. Maybe another time," he told her. Maybe when I'm wearing my boxer shorts at least, and you're already my girlfriend that I'm ready to propose to, and I'm really too sick to do shower on my own. In other words, maybe never.

"Are you sure?" Felicity asked. "You'll be in good hands," she added, holding up her hands and wiggling her fingers. She bit her lower lip as she waited for his answer.

Was that a mischievous grin on her face? Oliver wasn't so sure. He didn't know her that well yet to judge if she was teasing, flirting, or just being her candid self. But there was something in her eyes that he couldn't quite put his finger on. He just hoped she didn't see right through him and recognize the how embarrassed he was about being embarrassed in front of a pretty girl who only meant well.

"I'm sure," Oliver answered without looking at her in the eye.

It was a good thing that Felicity was done cleaning up his face. Oliver had some time to relax and catch his breath as she put away everything, bringing them back to the bathroom to wash. He was relieved that that was the end of a very awkward situation involving a beautiful girl that he was crushing on.

But then she came out of the bathroom a minute later with a huge grin on her face. "All done! Mr. Queen, do you need help to pee or something?" she asked. "I could bring you a urinal."

Oliver felt flustered as his face flushed a reddish hue. For that, he'd much rather call on mean old mama Mindy.

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 **So, who's charmed by who?**  
 **Would love to know what you think. :-)**

 **A/N: My father has been in the hospital for 3 weeks (third time this year), and patient care is no joke. One of his symptoms is the difficulty of peeing on his own without medication. I've experienced getting up to help him pee into a urinal every 30 minutes or so throughout the night. Not pleasant. I hate seeing him suffer. That's what brought this on; only, I thought I'd turn the negative experience into something light and funny that involves our favorite couple.**


	3. Chapter 3

**TLC: Chapter 3**

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 **A/N: This chapter is probably not as funny as the previous two, but it's necessary to move the plot along. I hope you still like it. We're back to Felicity's POV.**

 **Summary: Oliver and Felicity learn new things about each other. Something shifts, and they become friends.**

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"What were you thinking, Smoak?!" Felicity scolded herself as soon as she closed the bathroom door behind her. She turned the water on and started rinsing the toothbrush and tumbler – the ones that Mr. Queen, Oliver Queen, had just used. She tried to get her mind off her recent awkward dialogue with the most gorgeous man she had ever had the embarrassing pleasure of taking care of in her budding career as a nursing assistant.

But she couldn't shake it off.

Truth be told, she had been trying to distract herself from the overwhelming feelings of nervousness and self-consciousness ever since Oliver had asked her to help him with breakfast. Every spoonful, every bite – watching him chew while smiling at her was torture. Mind over matter, she had kept telling herself throughout the meal. It had gotten even harder to concentrate when she had to wipe his mouth and then his face after helping him brush his teeth. Only a washcloth kept the skin of her palm from making direct contact with the skin of his handsome face, and a couple of times, she had wondered how it would have felt if her hand had brushed against the stubble that grew on his perfectly chiseled jawline. She had tried to focus on getting her job done and just ignore the way he stared at her while she was at it, but when he hummed underneath the cloth about good it felt having her wipe his face clean, she just lost it.

" _Good, huh? Well, it's nothing compared to a sponge bath. I can give amazing sponge baths,"_ she had said without really thinking. She had really wished she could take back what she had just said before it led to a conversation she wasn't prepared to have.

So, she had started talking about her OJT and about her performance evaluation. She hadn't really meant to brag about being ranked among the top five trainees in her program, but she needed a digression to hopefully divert Oliver's attention and put her out of her misery.

Yet sooner than she expected, her brain-to-mouth filter had malfunctioned once again, and she found herself offering him a sponge bath, even guaranteeing that he will be in good hands – _hers_. Right then and there she had wished with all her might that she would be teleported to the farthest region of the galaxy, away from this beautiful man that was driving her nuts.

But it didn't happen, and Oliver's eyes had remained fixed on her face instead. She had tried to feign a smile on her face, hoping that she wouldn't be misinterpreted and the situation would not complicate any further. However, she wasn't sure if the grin decorating her fake façade had been able to conceal how she truly felt – utterly humiliated… but head-over-heels infatuated with none other than the long-lost son and heir of the Queen matriarch and business magnate, Moira Queen, whom she had just met earlier.

Felicity put away the rinsed toothbrush and tumbler. While washing the cloth she had used to clean Oliver's face, she lectured herself about the follies of talking without thinking and about the wisdom of keeping her mouth shut in front of her crush and speaking (concisely) only when spoken to. All she needed to do was assist the patient who had his arm in a sling and his leg and foot in a cast. She was, after all, a nursing assistant for crying out loud.

But then again, as soon as she stepped out of the bathroom and saw him flash a charming smile at her, she panicked. The first thing that escaped her big mouth was, _"Mr. Queen, do you need help to pee or something? I could bring you a urinal."_ Because, of course, she was Felicity Smoak, master of the art of speaking without really thinking, especially when she was stressed or nervous. Or really embarrassed. Or totally attracted to a gorgeous guy.

Fortunately for her (and him), there was a knock on the door, and in came a burly, African American giant of a man dressed in a crisp suit, with arms the size of tree trunks.

"John! What brings you here?" Oliver greeted the man.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Queen. I'm sorry to have to be the messenger of bad tidings under the circumstances, but Mr. Steele asked me to bring you these. He says it's important that you have a look at them today. He knows you're probably resting, but he asked me to come here anyway just in case you could look over these."

The man whom Oliver called John came near his bed and handed him a file folder.

"Thank you, John," said Oliver. "Oh, and I'd like you to meet _my_ nursing assistant, Felicity. She's been very helpful today."

Was it just her, or did she really hear Oliver Queen call her _his_ nursing assistant? She didn't dare look at Oliver for confirmation. It might just make things worse. Instead, she turned her attention to the man he was introducing to her.

"Hi! Name's Felicity Smoak," she said, extended her arm for a handshake, which the big guy eagerly took.

"Nice to meet you, Felicity Smoak. My name is John Diggle, Mr. Queen's bodyguard and black driver." When the handshake was over, John added with a sincere smile, "Thank you for all your help with Mr. Queen."

"Oh, it's nothing. All in a day's work!" she replied. "Well, I'd better leave you two with whatever business it is you have to attend to. If you need anything, Mr. Queen-"

"Just press the call button, and you'll come for me," Oliver finished for her, smiling warmly. "I know the drill, Felicity. Like you said, you're _my girl,_ " he added, teasing and grinning at her.

Felicity darted across the room like an Olympic sprinter and made a clean break for the door, exiting the scene before Oliver noticed the blush creeping fast from her neck up to her hairline.

When Oliver called again and Felicity responded, she found him in a totally different mood. He was somber, broody actually. His forehead crinkled, and it was as if he was troubled or upset about something as he stared at the ceiling when she came in.

"Felicity, would you mind wheeling me around for a bit? I just need to get out of this room, get some things off my mind, actually," Oliver requested.

Felicity studied the expression on his face and his body language for a couple of seconds, and she saw nothing but sincerity. There seemed to be no hidden agenda, no naughty look, no attempt to tease or charm her again. He seemed sincere about his request.

"Sure, Mr. Queen," she replied. "Let me just go get a wheelchair for you, okay?"

She stepped out and came back a few minutes later with a wheelchair. She positioned the wheelchair near his bed, put the brakes on, and helped him up and out of the bed. My, he was heavy, she thought, and as solid as a brick wall, she might add. Pulling him up and putting him on the wheelchair felt like a gym workout. She already worried about how to put him back on the bed afterwards.

She wheeled him up and down the corridors of the orthopedic wing and then brought him to the OB and maternity wing where they passed by the nursery. She thought showing him heart-warming scenes of dads holding their babies and moms feeding their newborns would help lighten up his mood and take his mind off whatever it was that made him anxious or upset. She saw him smile once or twice, but the smiles quickly faded. She wondered why. Looking at those cute little bundles of joy always cheered her up; it had been like therapy to her whenever she missed her mom, felt homesick or lonely, or worried that time was passing her dreams by.

Out of nowhere, Oliver suddenly spoke up as she wheeled him away from the nursery's glass window.

"I remember when my little sister Thea was born. I saw her in that same room in a basinet. She was wrapped in a pink blanket. So tiny. But she was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. That day when the nurse brought her into my mom's room? I don't think there ever was a happier moment we shared as a family than that."

Wow. Felicity didn't think Oliver Queen was capable of being sentimental and sincere. But she felt both with every word he said. She wasn't sure if he was actually talking to her, or if he was expecting her to say something after. So, she waited.

"Do you have siblings, Felicity?" he asked.

"I'm an only child."

"You should meet my sister," he said, the tone of his voice changing slightly. "She's coming by later after school." There was a tinge of excitement and eagerness there now.

Felicity inferred that his sister meant a lot to him. "I'd be happy to meet your sister. She must really be nice. The way you talk about her says a lot," Felicity replied cheerfully.

"She is. I mean, she can be quite a handful sometimes. I think all of us go through that stubborn, impressionable, rebellious phase. I know, I did."

Felicity laughed as she pushed his chair back towards his room. "Funny you should say that. You should have seen me when I was in that stubborn, impressionable, rebellious phase. You wouldn't recognize me."

"Yeah?" Oliver asked in disbelief. "I'd recognize you anywhere, Felicity," he said, turning around to look up at her with admiration and fondness.

She, however, pretended like she didn't notice him looking at her like that and just kept looking ahead as she pushed his chair. She simply remarked, "Not with black hair and purple lips, you won't."

"What?!"

"Yes, I went through a goth phase." She paused to bite her lower lip, anticipating another episode of humiliation. But she felt that something had shifted between them in the last few minutes. They were actually talking like civilized people who were trying to get to know each other. So, she continued, "But before you badger me to say more, let me remind you that you are at my mercy right now. I could just leave you in this hallway and let you wheel yourself back to your room with one hand." She stopped pushing and came around to face him. She folded her arms in front of her chest and raised an eyebrow at him, holding back a smirk.

"I wouldn't dare," Oliver responded, chuckling.

"Good!" Felicity thought it was very gentlemanly of him to leave her be when she expressed that she set some boundaries to her privacy. She turned and went back to her place behind him and pushed.

They were quiet the rest of the way, until they arrived at his room. Felicity helped Oliver back to his bed. It took some maneuvering, but they did it. When he was settled, he told her, "Thanks for showing me around, Felicity. I had a good time."

"You are welcome," she replied. "You were good company, actually."

Oliver smiled. Unlike before, Felicity's heart fluttered, but she was not flustered and panicky with him smiling at her like he could give her the moon.

"Could we… maybe… do this again tomorrow?" he asked.

"No problem. Happy to help! Especially if showing a patient around helps _him_ get his mind off whatever it is that's bothering him."

"Was it that obvious?"

"Pretty much."

There was a moment of silence. Felicity didn't know if that was her cue to leave or not. Oliver's eyes lost contact with hers as he looked out the window. She felt for him. Whatever it was that he was troubled about, it wasn't going to go away after a few minutes of sight-seeing. She sensed that even if Oliver was surrounded by too many people every day, he seemed… alone.

So, she dared ask, "Would you like to talk about it? Maybe I can help. Or just listen." She shrugged her shoulders.

Oliver was quiet, and Felicity was afraid that his answer was no. But then, he spoke. "My family's company hasn't been doing well since… since my father died and I was presumed dead. Since I came back, my mother has been expecting me to help her out… to keep another huge company from taking over or forcing us into a merger. We've had to work under the close scrutiny of the CEO of that company who bought stocks and earned a seat in our company's Board of Directors. She… That woman is a pain the…" He grit his teeth in sheer frustration.

"She?"

"Her name's Isabel Rochev. She makes my job a living hell every day."

"And what has she been up to that's been upsetting you all afternoon?"

"She's convincing the Board to take over my project."

"Which is?"

"Upgrading the cybersecurity system of Queen Consolidated."

Felicity's face lit up. Cybersecurity was her area of expertise. She was going to pursue the master's degree program at MIT and specialize in cybersecurity upon the recommendation of her professor.

Oliver continued, "Lately, QC has been experiencing inexplicable breaches in security. IT can't seem to find out what's wrong. I convinced the Board to invest in an overhaul and an upgrade, and last week they gave me the green light. Now Ms. Rochev thinks that my accident will unnecessarily delay the project. And I'm afraid she's right. I was supposed to meet with two different cybersecurity experts this week, but this happened. If she takes over… I don't trust the people she's going to bring in, because I don't trust her."

The cogs and wheels in Felicity's brilliant brain were turning. She hesitated to offer help because she feared she might be overstepping her boundaries as an employee of the hospital. But she really wanted to help him and his family's company. And maybe, she was also itching to go back and do what she did best.

She took a deep breath. And a leap of faith.

"What would you say if I told you that I can help you?" Felicity offered him frankly and confidently.

Oliver blinked, and then a smile softly grew on his face.

* * *

 **A/N: Your thoughts on this one?**  
 **The fun resumes next update. Hope you stick around!**


	4. Chapter 4

**TLC: Chapter 4**

* * *

 **A/N: Truly sorry for the delay in posting this next chapter. RL has been hectic and crazy with all that's going on. I'm at home sick, but not too sick to finish writing and posting this. It's the penultimate chapter, and it's a bit shorter than the previous chapters, but I hope you still enjoy what I've come up with.**

 **Summary: Felicity works her IT wonders to help out Oliver. Oliver discovers more than one thing that makes him admire her even more.**

* * *

"Felicity, you are remarkable," Oliver told her. He knew it was an understatement. _Remarkable_ didn't quite cut it. It didn't really do justice to describe exactly what he thought of the brilliant, beautiful blonde that sat at the foot of his bed working on his laptop. He wanted to say some other things, but his mouth did not ordinarily coordinate well with his mind and heart when he was nervous (in the thrilled and happy kind of way), so he normally just kept his remarks short.

Felicity momentarily shifted her gaze from the laptop screen to Oliver's face. With a refreshing smile she said to him, "Thank you for remarking on it." She blinked, dropping her gaze but not her grin, and then she went back to work on the laptop, biting her lip as she did. Oliver thought she was beyond cute, and that if didn't stop biting her pink lip that way, it would drive him crazy – the kind that made him fall for real for a girl he'd just met that day.

She'd been at it for almost an hour now – the "work" she had volunteered to do to help him with his QC-related problems. She had told him that she'd been a student in MIT majoring in IT and that she knew some things about cybersecurity, and she had offered to help. Oliver had readily accepted the offer, especially since it would extend the time he got to spend with her beyond her regular shift, which ended two hours ago at 6 p.m. As soon as she had finished turning over routine paperwork and other endorsements to the next nursing aide taking the evening shift, she had changed to her regular clothes and gone back to Oliver's room. She had missed his sister Thea's visit, unfortunately, but by the time she had gotten there, John Diggle had already arrived with Oliver's office laptop, which he had promised to make available for her use.

First, Felicity had accessed Queen Consolidated's computer system to find out what was wrong with their security and where the breaches were coming from.

"Password?" she had asked Oliver.

"Hmm?" He had been occupied staring at her pink-painted fingers, typing away on the keyboard without even looking at the letters and numbers. (He could never do that.)

"I need your password to get into your company's system."

"Oh, uhm… I uhh… I'm not very good at remembering passwords. I've had to ask IT to help me change my password five times already. Hold on, I think I've got it saved somewhere in my phone."

Almost a full minute had passed, and Oliver had still been tinkering (more like fumbling) with his phone to find his password. He'd been embarrassed. _What if she thinks I'm some dork who can't remember his own password because he's not really doing 'work' when he's at the office? What if she thinks I'm techno-phobic or something?_ Those thoughts had crossed his mind.

"I can actually hack into your system without your password, but that would be considered a felony. I don't know you that well to risk going to jail for you, Mr. Queen," she had told him, smirking. "But if you will give me your permission and stick with it if anybody presses charges, I'd consider doing it." She had winked at him.

Oliver had nodded, smiling back at her. "Go ahead. You have my permission."

She had immediately gone to work, and in less than a minute, she had gotten in. He'd been totally impressed. He thought QC should consider hiring this girl. _What was a talented young woman doing in a place like this?_

"So… what's a genius like you doing in a place like this? Why did you quit MIT?" he had dared to ask.

Felicity had stopped working for a while and had taken the time to explain what had happened. She had already coded something and set up diagnostics, so she had time to engage in a friendly chat. She had told him about her mother getting sick and her quitting college on her senior year to come home to Vegas and take care of her. She had told him how hard it had been for her when her mother passed, leaving her with hardly any funds left in the bank and a pile of bills to pay. She had also told him about how her aunt had paved the way for her to come to Starling City, take up the nursing assistant's course, and get employed in Starling General.

If Oliver had been impressed by her computer skills earlier, it'd been nothing to the admiration he had felt for her after hearing her story. He had recognized that the petite blonde, which he liked increasingly the more he got to know her, was just as tough as he was; they had both gone through hard times that molded them into who they had become. He had come to the conclusion that there was indeed something special about Felicity Smoak – something special that he wanted to be a significant part of.

"I learned a lot from the time I had spent taking care of my mom when she was sick. I guess, that was when I developed a deep concern and compassion for the sick. When my aunt suggested I take up the training program here, she didn't have a hard time convincing me to come over," she had explained.

Oliver had replied, "Well, I'm glad you did. Otherwise, we wouldn't have met." He had smiled at her fondly. Felicity had chuckled a bit, this time not minding him teasing her again.

Some noise from the laptop that sounded like a soft alarm had gone off, notifying her that her diagnostics was finished, and she had gone back to typing on the keyboard. She had found out what was wrong, and that had led her to discover a string of anomalies in the cybersecurity system of the company. She had discovered what was causing the breaches and had proceeded to explain things to him.

"Felicity, I honestly have no idea what you are talking about," Oliver had confessed, much to his embarrassment.

"Oh, that's fine. The problem isn't as important as the solution. You get what I mean?" she had said to him, her eyes glistening with enthusiasm. He had sensed how much she enjoyed doing this stuff. "If you give me the green light, I can actually fix it right here, right now," she had added.

Oliver had given her permission to override the system and repair the multiple glitches to prevent further breaches in security. It had taken her all night to do it, but he and John Diggle had patiently waited, observing her do her magic on the computer. What had taken weeks for QC's IT department to decipher and troubleshoot – and still had failed to do – had taken her only a few hours. Both men had been thoroughly awestricken.

From time to time, Oliver and Diggle had exchanged knowing looks, and they had known exactly what the other was thinking – that Felicity was a gold mine for any Fortune 500 company to unearth, and more importantly, a precious gem for any decent, eligible bachelor waiting for that once-in-a-lifetime, prized catch.

Felicity had also uncovered something sinister, that the security breaches were actually programmed from the inside, and could be traced back to an office computer that had gained access into the system using exclusive security codes that only were known to only four top-level company executives – Walter Steele, Moira Queen, Oliver, and one Isabel Rochev.

At long last, Oliver had something concrete and incriminating to finally put Isabel in a tight spot and ease her out of the Board and, ultimately, out of the company and their personal lives. He was sure that the company's legal department would not have a hard time pressing charges as well. The coming days weren't going to be pleasant for the Roach, as Thea had taken to call the "wicked witch" that had also tried to take their father away from them a few years before the fateful sinking of the Gambit. Isabel would get what she deserved.

 _Remarkable._ The word didn't come close to wonderful, amazing, and awesome rolled into one. By the time Felicity shut down his laptop just minutes shy of midnight, Oliver was already far gone, smitten by a woman that was only supposed to be his nursing aide for a few days.

Not if he could help it. Oliver resolved that as soon as he got discharged from the hospital, he was going to come right back in – not as a patient, and not just for follow-up visits to the orthopedic doctor that fixed his leg. He would come back, every day if necessary, until he got Felicity to agree to go out on a date with him.

After Oliver thanked her from the bottom of his heart for all her help, Felicity remarked, "You're welcome. I should add 'patient Oliver Queen's personal IT assistant' to my job description now. Happily." She blushed, noticing the fond smile that Oliver flashed at her. She then called it a day and left, leaving him alone with Diggle.

As soon as the door closed behind her, Oliver turned to his trusted bodyguard and friend. "John, would you mind doing something for me first thing tomorrow?"

"Not at all," Diggle replied, smiling.

"I'd like you to pick up a letter from my mother's office and personally take it down to HRD. They'll know what to do. Wait there for them to give you a sealed envelope, and then bring it here."

"Sure thing."

"And John," Oliver added, just as Diggle moved towards the door to leave as well, "this has to be done tomorrow. It's the day before Christmas Eve. The head of HR needs to sign off on it, okay?"

"Understood," Diggle answered, a big smile on his face. He knew exactly what his boss and friend was up to, and he knew that Oliver had a good thing going for him with this girl from Vegas. Diggle liked her too. And knowing the Queen family, he was sure that she would capture the hearts of Moira Queen and Thea as well.

* * *

 **Final chapter coming up next, hopefully, in 1-2 weeks' time. :-)**


	5. Chapter 5

**TLC: Chapter 5**

* * *

 **A/N: This concluding chapter is told from Felicity's POV first, then shifts to Oliver's. The short epilogue is told from both of theirs.**

 **Summary: There's one last awkward moment between Oliver and Felicity, before he takes the leap and everything turns to fluff.**

* * *

"Good morning, Mr. Queen! How are you feeling today?" Felicity greeted cheerfully as she entered his room.

She wore a red Christmas-themed scrub suit top with holiday stockings of different sizes and designs printed all over it. She was a bit embarrassed to be wearing the red top with a neon green bottom, but it was the day before Christmas, and their supervisor had insisted that they follow the hospital administration's memo. She searched his face for signs of disapproval but found none.

Instead Oliver answered, "I'm good! And now that you're here, I actually feel better. Much better." He grinned at her.

Felicity could literally feel her face heating up and turning red as a ripe tomato. Was he just teasing, or was he actually flirting with her? It was hard to tell, because she'd only met him very recently. But deep inside her, she believed that something had shifted between them after she gave him a tour of the hospital yesterday afternoon, when the awkwardness between them began to dissipate. She had felt the earnestness in his words when he spoke about his sister and his family. She had appreciated him trusting her enough to share with her his troubles at work and to let her help him fix them. Felicity had decided that she ought to give him a chance and to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Well, I'm glad that you feel a lot better today, and I'm flattered that you think I somehow have something to do with it," she told him with a chuckle. "You called?" It was already mid-morning, but it was the first time since her shift started at 6 a.m. that Oliver had called for assistance.

"Yes, I…" Oliver hesitated. "I need help to… I think I need to…" This time, it was he who started to blush in embarrassment.

Felicity knew exactly what he was driving at. This wasn't the first time that she had to help a male patient with very important "business" (of the natural waste disposal type). With a smirk, she told him, "It's okay. I get it. Happens every day," she assured him. "Do you want to go to the bathroom, or… use the bed pan, or…"

"No! No bed pan. Please!" She could clearly see how the idea of him doing his business on the bed with a metal pan underneath his ass – with her standing nearby – was certifiably reprehensible to him.

"Okay, then you'll have to get up. I can help you to the toilet, but it's going to be a very slow trip, considering how huge you are and how heavy you must be." She bit her lower lip and crossed her arms in front of her chest, waiting for him to react.

"I really don't want to be a burden to you. Isn't there any other way?"

Felicity uncrossed her arms and placed her hands on her hips. She shook her head and said, "I'll be back with a portable commode."

"That's more like it, thank you." Oliver smiled, and she thought it was the most winsome smile a guy had ever flashed at her. "You are welcome," she replied.

Felicity returned a few minutes later, carrying a commode with a blue plastic seat and seat cover and silver metal arm rests and legs. She positioned the portable toilet between his hospital bed and the visitor's couch, facing him. She tried to help him up, maneuvering him from his bed to the special seat, but because of his size and his weight, they suddenly fumbled and stumbled. Her foot got caught in one of the legs of the commode, and she lost her balance. Unfortunately, she did not let go of him, her arms still wrapped around his torso as they crashed onto the nearby couch. Oliver landed on top of her, groaning in pain while she let out a loud yelp.

"You're. Really. Heavy," she managed to say in between short breaths. With his weight on top of her, she could hardly breathe or speak. She also felt overwhelmed and disoriented, having him so close to her, so close that she could actually smell him, feel his heart beating against her chest, and his breath on her face.

"I'm sorry," Oliver told her. He lifted his upper body with his free arm so that she would not be crushed by his entire weight. "If I could just…" He tried to get off her, but with a broken arm in a sling and a fractured leg that had just been operated on, it was an impossible feat to accomplish without external help.

Felicity tried to squirm her way out of being sandwiched between gorgeous Oliver and the gray suede couch, but he was just too heavy on top of her. The movements she tried in order to shift to a better position were starting to make her feel uncomfortably awkward underneath him. By the tentative look on his face, she sensed that he felt quite the same way too.

So, she stopped squirming altogether. She just gazed into his lovely blue eyes, the way he gazed into hers. She didn't know how long they stayed that way, and she most certainly did not mind. Even if she was having difficulty breathing. Was it just his massive frame was _crushing_ her underneath all that muscle, or was it really because she was _crushing_ on a very attractive man who is presently in such close proximity to her? Honestly, she couldn't tell the difference. Frankly, she didn't care. As far as Felicity was concerned, they could stay this way for the rest of the day. If she was going to die of suffocation, she would much rather spend her final breaths buried underneath a handsome, thoughtful guy like Oliver Queen, who looked at her as if he was offering her all the stars in the galaxy. She liked how he made her feel. Special.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. Whoever it was did not wait to be acknowledged. The door opened a split-second later, and in walked Thea Queen followed by John Diggle.

"Ollie?" Thea squeaked out, narrowing her eyes with a frown when she realized what they had just walked in on. "What's going on?"

"Help," Felicity croaked. Her voice was hardly audible against Oliver's upper chest.

"We need help, Speedy!" Oliver replied, his voice laced with desperation. "I can't get off, and I think I'm crushing Felicity."

"Felicity? Who's Felicity?" Thea asked, confused, and still standing on the spot near the door, not quite ready to lend a hand yet.

The girl in question took a deep breath and spoke, "Uhm… That would be me," Felicity answered for him.

"Oh Ollie," Thea sighed, "you're unbelievable! Even with a broken arm and a broken leg, you still can't leave a girl alone."

Felicity gasped, shocked that Oliver's sister seemed to think that there was something going on between them. They hadn't done anything inappropriate. The fall had been an accident. But, of course, Thea and John Diggle didn't know that.

"Thea, it's not what it looks like! Felicity was trying to help me to the commode, but we fell," Oliver tried to explain. "And we need help!" Oliver's raised voice alerted John that assistance was urgently needed, so the man approached them in quick strides.

Soon, with John's help, Oliver was finally sitting on the medical contraption. However, the commotion had successfully distracted Oliver from nature's call, so he simply asked to be put back to bed. When Oliver was settled on his bed, Felicity stepped back and headed towards the door.

She said, "Well, if there's nothing else you'd need, I should get going." She still felt quite embarrassed by the commode calamity and could not wait to get out of Oliver's room. "Several patients are getting discharged today because… Christmas, right? That'll keep us nursing aides busy all day."

"Felicity, wait!" Oliver called out to her before she made it to the door. She turned, her ponytail bouncing as she did.

"Yes?" she replied, her eyebrows raised in wonder.

"There's something I wanted to give you," he replied. He then motioned for John to come to him, and his bodyguard came closer, handing him a sealed envelope with the QC logo on it. "This is for you," he told Felicity, extending his hand that held the envelope towards her. "Consider it a Christmas gift."

Felicity walked back towards him with a naughty expression on her face. "Well, in that case, I can't accept. I'm Jewish."

"Oh…" Oliver was taken aback by that vital piece of information, and by the way Felicity's eyebrow lifted, waiting in anticipation for his response. But, he didn't back down. "Then consider it a belated Happy Hanukah present." He tilted his head playfully to the side, offering her the envelope once more.

"Hey, I was just kidding. Thank you," Felicity responded gratefully. As she took the envelope, she asked him, "What is it?"

"Open it," he instructed her with a smile.

Felicity proceeded to open the sealed envelope and found a letter addressed to her, signed by the head of HR and by none other than Mrs. Moira Queen, Board Member in charge of human resources. Felicity started to read the letter.

She had not yet read the entire letter before her eyes began to well up with tears. She couldn't believe her eyes. Queen Consolidated was thanking her for helping them solve their security breach problems. But that was not all. QC was offering her a job as an IT specialist that would supervise the company's security systems. It was the dream job she had always wanted, and now it was at her fingertips, hers for the taking. She knew instinctively that it was all Oliver's doing.

"Oliver, I don't know what to say," she said softly, her voice wavering.

"Say _yes_ ," he told her. "I'm not taking _no_ for an answer, especially since this is a holiday gift from me to you. It's the least I could do in return for how you have rescued the company from Isabel Rochev, and for… for how you've been taking care of me here. Plus, I don't think it's an accident that it was your name that I pulled out from the Kris Kringle box that Mindy brought by yesterday."

"While I am overwhelmed by your generosity, Mr. Queen – and believe me when I say that the prospect of working for your company thrills me beyond imagination – I can't just quit my job here," she responded. "I still have six months left of pay-back for what the hospital loaned me during my training. And my aunt, she-"

"You don't have to quit your job here immediately," Oliver interrupted her quite politely. "Finish the last six months while you do some consulting for us. The position will be waiting for you until then. We badly need someone with your area of expertise, as you know." He winked at her, trying to ease the pressure building up within her that might spoil the excitement she was obviously feeling. "Just think about it, okay? You don't have to decide now."

Felicity took a deep breath to steady herself. She nodded in acquiescence, saying, "Okay. I can do that." She thanked him once again, taking the hand he extended for a handshake to seal their deal.

Oliver enthusiastically introduced Felicity to his younger sister Thea, and then Felicity left the room to go about her duties.

* * *

Christmas Eve went by swiftly. Oliver was still in the hospital, but he had been surrounded by family and friends who wanted him not to be alone. However, they had not stayed long. They wanted him to have a good night's rest, so they had left a couple of hours before midnight.

Tommy had promised to visit him at the mansion when he got home. Moira and Thea promised to be back in the morning to bring the gifts under the Christmas tree over so that they could open them together like they normally did as a family on Christmas Day. But Oliver insisted that the gifts could wait until he got home. "It's such a hassle having to bring all those presents over. I'm due for discharge tomorrow noon, anyway," he had reasoned out, and his mom had been easily convinced. So, Moira and Thea simply agreed to be back the next day with John Diggle in time for his discharge.

Oliver had tried to rest as soon as his visitors left, but he could not sleep. His thoughts were occupied by everything that had happened in the past year. As far as the company and his responsibilities there were concerned, he was happy that people around him had seen some improvements in his performance. He was trying, and at the very least, the people that mattered (beginning with his mother) were noticing it. In the home front, he couldn't say that his relationship with his mother and his sister has returned to normal a hundred percent, but they were getting there. He appreciated that they were giving him the space he needed, even if at times he tended to take out his frustrations on them. Change wasn't going to happen overnight, or in just the last two years since he'd been rescued from the island by that Chinese fishing boat.

Nonetheless, Oliver was hopeful about what the future had in store. He was expecting good things at the turn of the new year. In the last couple of days, he'd been seeing life and his surroundings in a whole new light. Something inside him had come alive in the last couple of days, and he couldn't help but think that meeting Felicity Smoak had something to do with that. There was just something about her.

Since John and Thea had spent the entire day with him, Oliver didn't really have a reason to call on Felicity for assistance after she left that morning with the QC job offer (which she promised to think about) in her hand. Truth be told, Oliver missed her, and when he looked at the clock in the room while having dinner after 6 p.m. with family and friends, he had realized that her shift was over for the day. He had tried to hide the disappointment, but Diggle had noticed him looking at the clock a few times and had called him out on it when his other guests were busy chatting with one another.

"Missing someone?" Diggle had asked inconspicuously, lightly teasing him.

Oliver hadn't denied it. He knew that there was no use in hiding from his friend the fact that he was falling hard and fast for the blonde beauty who had been giving him such tender loving care. So, he'd simply smiled. "What do I do now, Dig?"

"You mean, now that you're about to get discharged and you're afraid you won't be seeing her anymore?" Dig had clarified. Oliver had not replied except for a low grunt. "It's not like you can't do anything to see her again, Oliver."

"I know that. I can always follow up on the job offer," Oliver had responded. "But what if that isn't enough? What if she turns it down? What then?"

"Trust me, man. You'll know what to do," his friend had said in the most encouraging way.

* * *

Oliver reached for his phone on his bedside table to check if it still had enough battery power to last until morning. He had wanted to call his mom and Thea first thing to greet them "Merry Christmas." He frowned when he saw that his screen would not light up when he pressed the power button. He needed to charge his phone, and if he plugged it in now, it would be all powered up when he woke up in the morning.

But he needed help to charge his phone, since the nearest available power source was too far and too low for him to reach on his own. He thought of pressing the call button for assistance but hesitated; he didn't want to inconvenience anyone just to plug in his phone's charger. But then again, he thought that there were hospital personnel that went on graveyard shifts for this very purpose, so he reached overhead for the call button and pressed it. The nurse at the station asked him what he needed, and when he told them he needed help with charging his phone, the lady on the speakerphone yawned and told him that she'll be sending the next available aide to help him.

Five minutes later, the door opened and a nursing assistant walked in.

"You needed help with your phone, Mr. Queen?" Felicity asked softly, closing the door behind her.

Oliver was pleasantly surprised to hear her familiar, cheerful voice, even if it was softer than usual. It was almost midnight after all.

"You're still here?" he asked. It was supposed to be a question, but in his excitement, it had come out more like a delightful declaration.

Felicity replied, "Twenty-four-hour shift. Someone from staff volunteered me to do the Christmas Eve shift on the basis of my being Jewish." She walked towards him and stood beside his bed.

"Bummer," he remarked like a teenager. "That's what my younger sister would say."

Felicity laughed a little, and then she said, "You were busy tonight."

"Yeah. Family and friends came over."

"I noticed. It was good of them to visit you and spread some holiday cheer. Room was packed when I passed by."

"When?" Oliver asked curiously.

Felicity answered, "Oh, sometime after seven. The door was open."

"You should have come inside. I would have introduced you to my best friend Tommy and the others."

"Nah, I didn't want to intrude. It was a family and friends thing."

"All the more reason you should have come in. We are friends, aren't we?"

"Uhm, Mr. Queen, you are one of the patients in this hospital, and I'm a nursing aide here."

"You have a point there. But I'd like to think that we have also become friends in the last couple of days."

"Well, if it works for you, then go with it," she replied with a glint in her eye.

"Maybe I will," he responded with an intense yet sweet gaze directed at her.

Felicity dropped her gaze and stared at her hands, blushing. The next thing she knew, Oliver's free hand picked up one of hers.

"Felicity," her name rolled out of his tongue like flowing honey, "would you… would you like to go out to dinner with me sometime?"

Her eyes swiftly shifted from their joined hands to his adorable face. "Huh?" Felicity's eyebrows shot up to her hairline, and her jaw dropped, causing her lips to form a perfect oval.

"I asked if you would like to go out and have dinner with me. When I get out of here. Soon as I am able to drive my bike again," he asked a second time. "By then, I'd no longer be your patient, and you wouldn't be my aide. You shouldn't have to worry about crossing ethical boundaries, if that's what concerns you."

"I…"

Oliver held his breath…

"I would love to, yes."

Oliver saw it in the way her eyes gleamed – that she was just as elated about the prospect of spending more time to get to know each other beyond the four walls of his hospital room. He felt it when he lifted her hand that he'd been holding, planted a chaste kiss on her knuckles, and there was no resistance from her at all.

"Thank you for everything, Felicity Smoak."

"You are most welcome, Mr. Queen. And Merry Christmas."

Oliver looked at the wall clock. It was 12:05 a.m. "Happy Holidays," he greeted her back.

* * *

Two weeks later, Felicity accepted the IT position at Queen Consolidated and began her consulting work there, with the understanding that after six months, she would be hired in a full-time capacity. Moira Queen was more than pleased (especially when Isabel Rochev was fired and sued by QC, and the Queen family ended up buying out her shares of stocks in the company).

One month later, Oliver sped off on his new Ducati to the cliffside observatory in the outskirts of Starling City. He was healed and fully recovered. Felicity was right behind him, arms wrapped around his waist and chest pressed against his back. It was their very first date. She told him that she remembered thinking, back at the hospital, how he looked at her like he was ready to give her the stars. He told her that he was willing to give her the moon if she asked him to, but for that night, he was delightfully content to show her the stars.

And to kiss her passionately underneath them all.

THE END

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 **A/N: This is it, y'all! Story done, and I really hope you liked it.**

 **I apologize for the very long delay in posting this final chapter. It was hard to come back to it after my father passed away last January. (It was easier to pick up from where I left off in BLUE EYES.) This fic was conceptualized during our time in the hospital when Papa was still confined for pneumonia and heart failure. The things I observed there gave me ideas for this story, including the commode - which my father learned to use when he was still able to get up from the hospital bed. I couldn't bring myself to work on this fic again so soon after Papa's death because I was anxious that it would bring back memories and images of our family's ordeal, caring for him and watching him slip away. But... Life must go on. And one of my life's mottos is to finish what I start. So, here is the final chapter. I'm not completely happy with it, but this is the best I can do, in the midst of dealing with loss. I still hope you like how this "first meet fic" ends. It would be nice to hear from you.**

 **Thanks again for reading this, for clicking Kudos, and for leaving comments. You are awesome readers!**


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